See You Soon
by breadmakesyoufat
Summary: Months after the events of 1.13, they finally see each other again. Also a sequel to my story Arms of Mine, but you can read this without reading that one, if you want.


Cole never does make it back to 2043 like he promised her he would.

It's been months since he put Cassie in the machine, sending her to 2043 to try and save her life. Months since he watched her get shot and then had to let her go. Months since he kissed her goodbye, his heart breaking. Months since he watched her vanish out of his life.

The injection Ramsey had given him to use on her before the splinter was beyond hard to find in 2015, and Cole was starting to lose hope that he would ever find more to use on himself. With Ramsey's help, he'd hunted down Dr. Jones, Katarina's ex husband, but he wasn't the one who had made the serum, and his contact for the man who did turned out to be a dead end. Reaching out to Katarina had also proved to be a dead end, as she had no knowledge of how to make the serum yet herself.

Living in 2015 was nowhere as nice without Cassie. Ramsey was with him, but after the events at the Raritan National Laboratory, all his access to funds and resources as Ethan Sicke were cut off by Olivia. They were homeless, essentially, wandering from place to place to find shelter and food every night, while also trying to track down a way to get back to their time.

Cole wasn't sleeping well at night. His dreams either consisted of Cassie dead in the chair in 2043, never surviving the trip, or him making it back to her only to find she died soon after arriving. He spent his days trying to remember her face, and some of their happy moments together. The way she looked laying next to him in their motel room, before they went to find Aaron…she looked so serene. The morning light peeking through the drapes and illuminating her golden blonde hair. The smile she gave him when she woke up and saw him looking at her.

The thoughts of her like that during the day was what kept him going; what got him up every morning after sleeping under a dirty overpass, or under the one tarp they found in a dumpster to use on rainy nights. He'd promised her he would find his way back to her. And Cole wasn't one to break his promises, especially not to Cassie. But he was starting to lose hope.

So imagine his surprise when he sees her walking down the street one evening.

It's gearing up to be another cold night, and Cole is sitting on a bus stop bench, waiting for Ramsey to come back with some food. They'd scrounged up enough change to get some cheap food tonight, which was a treat. They'd resorted to stealing a few times, but it never sat well with either of them, and Cole knew the risks of getting caught in 2015. In his time, stealing could mean death, or at least a very severe beating if caught. But here, as Ramsey had told him, they punish crime with incarceration. Being locked up for years with no hope of getting out, especially for men who don't legally exist in this time. They couldn't afford to be locked up. It would mean the end of Cole's mission back to her, and that wasn't an option.

Cole huffs loudly, seeing his breath, and pulls his coat tighter around himself. He's looking across the street at the lights illuminating the various shops and restaurants as the sun goes down behind him.

That's when he sees her.

His breath catches in his throat, watching the blond haired woman come out from an alleyway across the street, looking both ways before turning right and walking by in front of him, four lanes of traffic separating them. Cole's fists unclench in shock, his jacket falling back to his sides. She's walking quickly, glancing around herself frequently, as if looking for something, or to avoid someone. Cole can't seem to find his voice, and stares as she passes him by, continuing down the street with purpose in her step. Her hair is messy…not the usual soft tresses he remembers, and her clothing…she's dressed like someone from his time: Layers, tatters, and her coat looks like it's way too big for her. But he's sure it's her. Somehow, Cassie is here.

She's getting too far away now, and Cole finally springs into motion, quickly crossing the street and running after her. She turns down another alleyway ahead of him and Cole picks up his pace, flying around the corner after her. She's still walking, her back to him, but he's sure now. It's her.

"Cassi-"

He's reaching for her shoulder, but doesn't even make it that far. In a blur she's turning, his wrist in her hand bent back at a painful angle, making him grunt loudly. Before he even registers what's happening, she's kicked out one of his feet and he's stumbling. She takes advantage of his falter and backs him up against the wall closest to them effortlessly, planting a leg between his and pinning him with her arm, her elbow digging into his shoulder and a small knife to his throat.

Her eyes are hard and focused, and Cole stares back at her, his eyes wide. She looks like she's been through hell. Her hair is shorter than he remembers, but that might just be from all the knots and tangles in it. Her skin is still pale and soft looking, but her face is covered in small cuts, and he notices a particularly bad one across her temple, clean but scabbed over. There's a bruise under her right eye, and bags under them both, telling him she hasn't been sleeping as well as she used to. Her teeth a gritted hard and she's putting all her weight into keeping him pressed against the wall, the knife in her hands cold against his neck.

She still looks so beautiful to him, though, and he finds himself relaxing, despite the position she has him in.

"Cassie…" he whispers, a smile forming on his lips, and her eyes seem to clear.

She relaxes slightly, some of the pressure of the blade coming off his neck, and stares back at him, clarity coming over her slowly, her eyes jumping from one point on his face to another quickly, taking him in.

"…Cole?" Her voice is hoarse, disbelieving, but she takes a fraction of a step back from him, dropping his arm and letting her arms hang at her sides.

Cole is smiling at her, his stomach in knots and his hands aching to hold her. "Cassie…you're here" he whispers, his voice coming out almost choked, his arms coming up to hold her but stopping just short of actually touching her, his hands visibly shaking.

There's a clatter as her knife drops from her numb hand to the pavement beneath them, and she's on him a moment later. Cole's eyes grow wide as she pushes herself up against him fully, pressing him back against the wall again, her hands in his hair and her lips pressed hungrily to his. Cole recovers quickly, both his hands finding her waist and pulling her into him, groaning in relief at the feel of her in his arms. She's kissing him fiercely, and he can feel tears on her cheeks, salt on her lips. One of his hands moves to caress the side of her face, deepening the kiss. A shiver runs up her body and she pulls away slowly, her eyes wide and wet. They're both panting and Cole keeps her close, rubbing his thumb along her temple like he did in their last moments together, months ago.

She's shaking slightly in his arms, more tears running down her face as she looks at him.

"I finally found you." she whispers, her fingers moving in his hair, caressing his neck.

Cole leans forward, resting his forehead against hers, revelling in the feel of her hands on him, her breath on his face, her waist beneath his hands.

"I'm sorry Cassie. I couldn't find more splinter serum. I spent every waking moment trying to find a way back to you…" he trails off, his voice soft but full of emotion.

Cassie shakes her head slowly, leaning forward and kissing him again, but gently this time. This kiss reminds him of the kiss they shared before she splintered to his time: their first kiss, full of love, and reassurance. Only this time, with the joy of being reunited, instead of the pit in his stomach at being separated from her. She's smiling when she pulls away, far enough to look at him properly. Cole finds himself gently stroking the scab on her temple, and she sees the question in his eyes.

"A lot happened, in 2043." she says softly, her eyes closing as he moves his gentle touch to the bruise under her eye. "I can't say I'm a fan of your time, Cole." she jokes, her laugh breathy, but tinged with pain.

Cole smiles sadly. "I know. It's not a…forgiving place." he looks her over again, a small blush lighting up her cheeks when she notices him checking her out. "I gotta say though, Cass, this is a good look for you." he chuckles, making her chuckle too. "and is this…?"

One of his hands is touching the coat she's wearing. It's obviously too big for her, but it looks good on her. Warm.

Cassie smiles, looking down at it. "Yeah. Jones found it for me, in your bunk. I was having problems…adjusting, when I got there." Her voice is sad, and her eyes are distant, haunted, but she looks up at him and her eyes focus again. "It helped me adjust. It was like having a piece of you there with me."

Cole lets out a slightly strangled breath before pulling her into him, hugging her close. She gladly curls into him, her hands on his chest, her eyes closing at the feel of his hand gently stroking her hair.

"I'm so sorry Cass. It nearly killed me to send you back there."

"We had no other options. You saved my life, Cole."

He squeezes her once before letting her go, his eyes finding hers again. She is so beautiful, he finds his chest warming up just looking at her. He suddenly comes back to himself, and curses under his breath.

"Ramsey. He's going to wonder where I went. We have to go back."

Cassie tenses at his name, frowning at Cole. "Ramsey? He's alive?"

Cole nods, watching her reaction. "I couldn't let him die. He's been helping me look for a way back to you all this time. He's okay, Cassie. He helped me save your life back at Raritan."

Cassie's still frowning, but she nods back, visibly relaxing. "Fine. I promise I won't kill him. But don't get upset with me if I don't immediately warm up to him."

Cole laughs, smiling and reaching down to take her hand. They turn to exit the alleyway the way they came. Bending over, Cole retrieves her knife that she nearly slit his throat with, handing it back to her.

"You know, you've become pretty lethal. I'm impressed."

She looks over at him and doesn't smile until she sees that he is. She looks down at the pavement as they round the corner back onto the street, her hand grasping his a little tighter.

"I had to. To survive. I was lucky Katarina was there to help me. And Whitley."

Cole squeezes her hand back. "I want to know everything that happened to you, Cassie."

"I know. And I'll tell you. Let's just go find Ramsey, and we can go from there."

Cole nods, looking up to see Ramsey sitting at the bench Cole had been sitting on before Cassie jumped back into his life. They would figure this out. Together.


End file.
